Jesuit missionaries came to Andrew’s Vietnam village to preach the Gospel in 1640, when he was 15 or 16. Andrew began to study with the priests so that he could understand what it meant to be a follower of Christ. He was baptized later that year and was eager to begin sharing his faith.
Portuguese Jesuit priests first came to Vietnam in 1533 to preach the word of God to the people of the kingdom. These missionaries also brought the sacraments to Japanese Catholics who had been forced to leave their land because of persecutions. However, a law was passed in Vietnam that made it illegal for people to belong to the Christian Church. The Jesuits had to minister in secret until 1615, when they were allowed to build a permanent mission for Catholic worship.
Though he lived a short life, Andrew of Phú Yen was an amazing witness for Christ to the people of Vietnam.